# Vaia vs Focus Tree

The clearest difference is ads: Vaia at none against Focus Tree's shown. Vaia also leads on review sentiment (82% vs 69%). Focus Tree's advantage is ratings volume (5.6K vs 1.5K). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Vaia sells 15 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Focus Tree sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Vaia against 4.7 for Focus Tree. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.5K and 5.6K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 82% of Vaia's written reviews are positive against 69% of Focus Tree's.

Vaia ships an update weekly, Focus Tree every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Vaia | Focus Tree |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vaia-flashcards-and-study-guide/id1439949520/reviews) | [4.7 (5.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focus-tree-timer-and-flashcards/id1631305261/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1.5K | **5.6K** |
| Positive reviews | **81.5% of reviews** | 68.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 237 MB | 263 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [StudySmarter GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1439949519) | [Focus Labs](https://appshunter.io/developer/1631305263) |

## What reviewers say

### Vaia

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vaia-flashcards-and-study-guide/id1439949520)

This app helps students improve grades and reduce study stress with AI-powered personalized study plans, flashcards, and practice exams. It transforms uploaded notes into comprehensive study materials, making learning efficient and engaging for any subject.

**Highlights:** AI-generated study plans, Personalized flashcards, Practice exams, Upload notes for study materials, Spaced repetition learning, Shared study materials

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (15)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Plan | $2.99 | per month |
| Premium Plan (1 month) | $5.49 | per month |
| Premium Plan (1 month) | $6.49 | per month |
| Premium Plan (1 month) | $6.99 | per month |
| Premium Plan (1 week) | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium Plan (1 month) | $8.99 | per month |
| Premium Plan (1 month) | $12.99 | per month |
| Premium Plan (1 year) | $17.99 | per year |
| Premium Plan (1 month) | $19.99 | per month |
| Premium Plan (1 year) | $31.99 | per year |
| Premium Plan (1 year) | $43.99 | per year |
| Premium Plan (1 year) | $59.99 | per year |
| Premium Plan (1 year) | $63.99 | per year |
| Premium Plan (1 year) | $89.99 | per year |
| Premium Plan (1 year) | $89.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Efficient flashcard creation and study tools
- 🧠 AI-powered features for learning
- 📚 Vast library of shared study materials
- 🎨 Customizable and visually appealing interface
- 🤝 Collaboration and sharing with peers

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 🔒 Limited offline access without premium subscription
- 🤖 Inconsistent performance of AI-generated content
- 🗂️ Difficulty organizing and navigating large study sets
- 📱 Suboptimal mobile app experience compared to web

**Reported bugs**

- Flashcard review progress not saving correctly
- Inability to delete individual flashcards from a set
- Syncing issues between mobile app and web version
- Inconsistent behavior of AI-generated quiz questions

**Requested features**

- Add more language options
- Improve PDF and note-taking editor functionality
- Implement nested subsets within study sets
- Provide more customization options for colors and themes
- Integrate study timers and task management features


### Focus Tree

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focus-tree-timer-and-flashcards/id1631305261)

This app helps students stay focused during study sessions by blocking distractions and offering study timers. It also includes flashcards with spaced repetition for effective learning and allows users to study with friends by growing shared virtual gardens.

**Highlights:** Focus sessions with distraction blocking, Study timers and Pomodoro sessions, Flashcard creation and spaced repetition, Shared virtual gardens for group study, Progress tracking and accountability with friends

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (14)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Focus Tree Premium | $9.99 | per month |
| Premium Annual | $19.99 | per year |
| Premium Annual | $29.99 | per year |
| Premium Annual | $39.99 | per year |
| Premium Annual | $49.99 | per year |
| Focus Tree Premium | $69.99 | per year |
| Premium Annual | $89.99 | per year |
| Premium Annual | $99.99 | per year |
| Coin Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Coin Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Coin Pack ($9.99) | $9.99 | one-time |
| Coin Pack ($19.99) | $19.99 | one-time |
| Coin Pack ($49.99) | $49.99 | one-time |
| Coin Pack ($99.99) | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Helps with focus and productivity
- 👍 Cute and motivating design
- 🔒 Blocks distracting apps
- 💡 Competitive aspect with friends
- 🌱 Fun to build a garden

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App freezes or gets stuck
- 🔒 Overly restrictive app blocking
- 💰 Lack of customization options
- 🎁 Limited rewards for study sessions

**Reported bugs**

- App gets stuck on loading screen
- Notifications not working as expected
- Account recovery issues when changing devices
- Screen time feature not functioning properly

**Requested features**

- Allow pausing of study sessions
- Provide more tiles/rewards for longer study sessions
- Add option to choose different tile designs
- Improve compatibility with larger devices like iPads


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Vaia free?

Vaia is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Focus Tree free?

Focus Tree is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Vaia or Focus Tree?

Vaia and Focus Tree are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1.5K and 5.6K ratings respectively.

### Do Vaia or Focus Tree have ads?

Focus Tree shows ads; Vaia does not.

### Which is updated more often, Vaia or Focus Tree?

Vaia ships an update weekly, and Focus Tree every 2 weeks. Most recently, Vaia was updated on September 24, 2026 and Focus Tree on September 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*